Contact Client Service

Cataloguing & details

Pre-Lot Text

PROPERTY FROM THE ESTATE OF WILLIAM JOHN UPJOHN

William John Upjohn led a multifaceted life as entrepreneur, community leader, philanthropist, videographer and university professor. He was a collector with eclectic interests including fine arts, rare books and manuscripts, American coins and, in particular, photographs.

Upjohn gathered most of the works in his collection within the span of a few years, before photography became popular as a collectable medium. In fact, he promoted photographs as a medium for fine art exhibitions at his community art institute in Kalamazoo, Michigan. Upjohn had a special interest in both the work and the technique of Ansel Adams and accumulated numerous images and portfolios from this artist. Many of the works from Upjohn's collection were shared with or donated to the Kalamazoo Institute of Arts and we are pleased to offer a number of fine images from his collection in this sale.